The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-01
AeGR1EvEp oongEsPoNpENrs.


Shabby Treatment OF Press Representatives
by the Big Man at tho white House.
Special to the indianapolis journal
WASHINGTON April 30--A great deal has
been said during the week about the snuS Presir
dent Cleveland gave some of the newspaper corr
respondents, at his ri-weekly public reception,
the other day. twill be remembered he showed
intense displeasure because a bevy OF the eorrs-
spondents hnddled together in a corner Of the
East parlor near him, and evinced mIrthtni
interest in Of the antics cut by the callers.
and tina. be evidenced that displeasure by scowl-
ing at the men after the reception was over. and
remarking to one of his policemen, or door
keepers, that "those men had better bss kept out
of the room hereafter He said he didn't like to
have them him. and hear their side re-
marks and sec their smiles. This is not the
only direct evidence the President has given the
newspaper correspondents that he diskes them.
He rebuked or snubbed them over three months
ago. 1t at of his public receptions, ana
about of correspondents had taken th9
position they have occupied for many yeass
these informal afternoons in the East rarlor.
The position is immediately TO the south OF
the central door leading from the corridor, and
uu-stairs-a little Granny corner about ten OF
twelve feet from the place the President stands
when he receives, and where the callersgo out
of the room. 1t affords opportunity to sec ana
hear everything. and be in no ones way Ihe
correspondents n scholarly, gentlemanly and
well-appearng lot of men, and In no way OBJ
iectonable, personally. or offensive. They We're
not led to take the position near the Pres1cent
and mis- callers through curiosity. as they have
seen him md the people till curiosity has ceased
to lead them It part of their duty to
do they did. The correspondents did not
object to being requested to take n less con-
spicuous position during the receptions. but they
not little indignant at the way they We're
ordered away. At the time they were snubbed
formerly they were huddled together. 50 as to
see and hear everything, when the President
entered the room. He looked around the parlor.
surveyed the surroundings. and then glanced at
the correspondents. Their presence made him
angry Turning to the two door-keepers who
assist him in his receptions, be observed:
''Stand over this side. We VIII get away
to-day meaning from the correspondents.
So the snub the other day was not the re suit
of any Immediately committed. The truth
is, the President has mated newspaper men as
a class for many years. He GOT into trouble
with them when he was in minor Offices up ac
Buffalo Then he came to hate them during the
campaign of 1884. 1t is a wonder that he can
tolerate Colonel Lamont, who il newsps2er
man.
Mrs Cleveland has a very warm sympathy for
the press, and is favcrte, not only with tbs
men of the press who have the good fcriuue to
know her, but the l>1ies who write for print
She knows personally all the lady correspond
enrs for the press, makes two three of them
her pasiime mates, talks interestingly TO them,
inquring about their incomes, hardships.
amusements. and always addresses them by
their Christian names 1t is said that Mrs.
Cleveland's first lover newspaper man;
that she loved him intensely, and would have
married him naQ Sne ndu her way anG Lnat Sn6
has sympathy for all in the profession on that
account and because she sometimes writes for
the press herself have been told, also, that
Mr.. Clevelands feelings toward the profession OF
the press has not been mellowed by the fact that
Mrs. Cleveland once admired "A qGiil- driver,
But there is another reason for the President
speaking harshly to and of newspaper men, He
is growing old and acrid. An eminent aud very
learned physician from the South called upon
the President within the past six weeks and had
lengthy conversation with him. during which
he studied the chief executive very closely.
Speaking Of the visit he said to me the other
day:
s.Mr Cleveland's age has been misrepresented
to the pubic-probably not by him. bat by some-
body. In thirty years practice of medicine and
surgery think have some power of discover
ing mans age in a half hours conversation.
and if L the witness stand and were
asked Mr.. Cleveland's age | should say between
ffty-six and fifty years If that were
questioned, and I informed that he was but
fifty-one, should reply that he had lived os-
yond his years-that is. he had lived faster than
a should live. But Mr.. Cleveland is grow
ing snappish and snarlsh. He Is at that point
where old age has not set in far enough to mellow
him, and yet has overtaken him sufficiently to
show itself He is, in other words, undergoing
his period of crankiness, and it is no wonder he
snubs people"
In Washington there to-day between
seventy five and one hundred professional news
paper correspondents. Fully one-third of the
papers they represent are Democratic--posslbly
half Democratic-and 1t can be safely said q
that not six of them, under any consideration,
would think of going TO Mr. Cleveland for infor-
nation requested by their papers They feel,
and have felt for many months that the Presi-
dent has little respect for them or their profess
sion. and they give him a wide berth IL was
cessors. On the contrary, it was quite tho
reverse: And vet Mr. Cleveland has not been
misrepresented by these men of the press he
is treated with all due fairness and conslce-a-